Tamerri: A place to be

It is impossible to recover from the epicness that was Tamerri.
A concept that was birthed in the incomplete buildings of Mabushi where CEF and Osi toyed with their empty wallets, Tamerri grew from a mere dream to the land of art,culture and soul.

The two day festival was hosted at the Sarius Palmetum Botanical garden in Maitama, a place whose true residents were the bats that came out to play above the palm trees by evening. The space was colored by different vendors and displays from Aso-aje to Domitilla’s photo exhibition. I had never experienced so much of our culture in one place, it brought happiness, joy and a deep feeling of belonging.

The human library curated the stories of the accomplished intelligent minds, the village market sold us everything from food to what we could Wear, wotclef helps fight child trafficking andthe mornings were conquered by Tai-chi and Troot workouts, Tamerri really was the place to be.
Day 1 of the music concert started out with Jarell Ebuka ,who had us pleading to make his babies while he played on Farida (his guitar) but then Femi Leye said, my people boogie with me and boogie we did!!! The spoken word artists captured my heart with Omo Awe taking us home to Africa Ukoh introducing us to the all seeing I(eye) and Yaasky’s evolution of words.
Bez and Age Beeka took us on a journey and the crowd went berserk!
Fast forward to day two, the cultural displays by various troupes were spectacular, with masquerades of different shapes and size, the Tamerri fashion show was opened by a group of kids with remarkable talent, Niger wedding crooners (which I found creepy and amusing) and then models hit the matted runway while we munched on dates and kola, trust me it doesn’t get more cultural than that!

The show ended with the music concert which was opened by The Isomers and ran through my favorite alternative artists, Atta Lenell, Jessica bongos and Lindsey abudei. But the dancing began when Mike Wonder dazzled us with the indomie soundtrack courtesy of his bass guitar and Jeremiah Gyang tore up the stage with his women’s band (zummutan mata). As though it weren’t enough we consumed the words of Africa Ukoh who said I am not black but and I am African then Dike Chukwumerije the father of spoken word took it home and said tribalism is the same as racism, must I go on?

The night ended with Brymo’s amazing yet short performance and the spiritual scattering of the movement that is CEF, who put his love in the piggy to make sure that Tamerri became the land we experienced this weekend!

Shout out Team Tamerri, imagine tamerri a place to be but experience the Tamerri State of mind. I will this, it you weren’t Tamerried this weekend then you haven’t lived my friend.

See video’s and pictures on twitter and Instagram @isysdrain or search #TamerriFestival